Module 1

Module preparation

• Arrange the room so that the participants can work in teams of 2-5 members
• Print and copy documents for each participant/use digital versions of those documents

Sequence 1.
Know your environment

“It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the world in which we all live”.

Dalai Lama

Context

The terrestrial environment is always changing, both within natural cycles and as a result of certain events or influences, including human activity. To help the participants understand environmental changes at a global scale, this sequence aims to get them to first understand how the components of the environment interrelate at a smaller scale.

Activity

Prepare a list of environmental changes that have resulted from human activity in the local area. Focus on changes that are visible and/or measurable.
For instance, the participants could analyze the way in which the introduction of an anthropogenic structure (a dam, a factory, a neighborhood, etc.) into a particular natural environment has affected that environment.

• Explain those attending the workshop that this session will look over the connections that can exist in a particular environment and how changes in this environment can affect these connections. Begin by asking the participants to think of a familiar local environment (this could be their home town or a larger region). They will work in teams and they will analyze the components of the environment: landform, water, air, soil, plants, animals, people and anthropogenic components.
• For efficiency, it is recommended to use a worksheet that will be sent to each team.
• Ask the participants to identify at least 2 connections they have noticed in their environment. Each team must choose two items that are connected from their list of observations and describe that connection on a poster. They can draw a diagram or other picture to help explain the connection. When everyone has completed the task, ask the groups to display the posters on the boards. Then ask all groups to walk around to see the connections everyone has found.

Example of connection

Write "squirrel" on the right side of the paper and "tree" on the left, then draw a line between them. On the line, write "the squirrel uses the tree for shelter and food."

Worksheet

1. The landform

2. What are the local climate characteristics? (seasons, precipitation distribution, etc.)

3. What are the water resources of the area?

4. Identify 3 species of plants and animals that live in the local environment?

• Plants:

•Animals:

5. Soils in the local/area environment (appreciate their fertility, local particularities)

6. The anthropogenic component (constructions, human activities specific to the area)

7. What role do people play in this environment?

Check the understanding

Ask the participants to work together with their children on a final project. Assign to each parent one of the local environmental changes brought about by human activity that you have already identified. It is the responsibility of family members to lead their own research regarding this environmental change and its implications for the future. Each family will repeat the process they used during the workshop. They may begin by observing and describing the environment and then identify the connections that exist within this environment. Then they should extend their research in order to analyze the change of this environment brought about by human activity but also to determine what effect (positive or negative) the activity has on plants, animals and physical elements. You can suggest the participants to consult different sources: Internet, press, etc.

The project will be uploaded to Blog and it will include an explanation of the environmental changes they have noticed, what these changes imply for the future and if it's relevant, some recommendations on what should be done about these changes. If it is not possible for the family to analyze an environmental change related to human activity in their local community, suggest another region for their research.

Sequence 2.
Use of natural resources

Context

Unsustainable consumption and production practices not only deplete natural resources through the use of material inputs, but also cause environmental impacts as a result of the extraction, processing, manufacturing, consumption and disposal of waste at every stage of a product or service's life.

These impacts of unsustainable consumption and production on the environment are causing the three planetary crises we are currently facing:

They are deeply interconnected and influence each other: pollution contributes to climate change, and biodiversity loss is exacerbated by both climate change and pollution.

The unsustainable consumption of natural resources also has a negative socio-economic impact on communities and individuals. For instance, depletion of soil resources or its degradation as a result of unsustainable agricultural practices affects farmers' livelihoods, which leads to food and economic insecurity. The loss of availability of natural resources and the livelihoods of those who depend on them is also a major cause of conflicts and wars.

The socio-economic impact caused by unsustainable consumption and production is felt unevenly around the world. The poorest people are those whose survival depends directly on natural resources and who have the least means of support to cope with the consequences.

When we shop we rarely think about the chain of activities, the operations that made the item what it is. A product is obtained from NATURAL RESOURCES that are limited and has undergone a series of complex processes before reaching the consumer.

To better understand the connection between the economy and the environment we must become aware of the life cycle of the products we buy. This cycle includes the resources and processes involved in manufacturing a product, delivering it to market, and disposing of the product after use.

As customers, we must become aware that our decisions concerning the goods and services we buy determine the allocation of resources. A business can only survive if it meets the demands of consumers, that is, ours. However, we underestimate our role as consumers. Smart consumers can positively influence the quality of life and the environment. This awareness can lead to a change in consumer habits that will be reflected in a sustainable economy.

ACTIVITY 1
Identifying the resources used in the production of different goods

This activity helps the participants better understand how and what resources, labor and capital are used to produce goods. With this knowledge, they will better appreciate the concept of consumer sovereignty, or the power they have as consumers to make a change or a difference.

Type of activity: individual/family analysis

1. Display different objects and explain that they are all obtained from natural resources (exhaustible, renewable, inexhaustible).

2. Invite the participants to complete the worksheet identifying the resources used to make the objects.

Worksheet

First item (food)

1. What renewable resources were used?

2. What exhaustible resources were used?

3. What will you do with the part of the product that you didn't use?

Second item (long-lasting product)

1. What renewable resources were used?

2. What exhaustible resources were used?

3. What to do when the item is sold out?

Third item (paper)

1. What renewable resources were used?

2. What exhaustible resources were used?

3. What to do when the item is used?

Feedback

Recommendation for the trainer

If they have failed to identify water as a resource used in all industrial processes, draw their attention to this. If they failed to identify electricity, explain that it is used in processing resources and it is obtained using different energy resources.

Group task

Roundtable activity

Identification at local or regional level of an unsustainably exploited resource that has produced or may produce in the near future a negative impact on the local community or on the individuals.

Worksheet for children/youngsters (online)

They will give 3/5 answers for each question according to age.

Things that are made and/or used from plants:

Things that are made and/or used from animals:

Things that are made and/or used from fossil fuels:

Things that are made and/or used from minerals:

Things that are made and/or used from water, air or sun:

ACTIVITY 2
Food waste

Context

In 2022, humanity has consumed until July 28 all that the Earth can produce without exhausting its resources. For the remaining 156 days, the consumption of renewable resources was done by exhausting the planet's natural capital. At this rate of consumption, 1.75 planet Earths are needed to cover the needs of the population in a sustainable manner. It must be taken into account that the needs of the other species living on Earth were not included here.

This ecological footprint is calculated based on six different categories of resources:

In the last 50 years the gap has grown continuously: December 29 in 1970, November 4 in 1980, October 11 in 1990, September 23 in 2000 and August 7 in 2010.

The global food system is mainly responsible for this overconsumption. More than half of the planet's biocapacity (55%) is used to feed humanity.

Agriculture contributes to deforestation, climate change by emitting greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, using a significant part of the Earth's freshwater resource.

The food system is closely linked to consumption habits, especially those in rich countries. For example, if all people on Earth lived like the French, the day of "exceeding" renewable resources would have been recorded on May 5, 2022.

"Limiting food waste would allow us to postpone this date by 13 days,
and this is not at all negligible"

Laetitia Mailhes Laetitia Mailhes

Food security is about the availability, the access and the use of food. When people have always access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life, they are considered to enjoy the benefits of food safety. The limit below which a person is considered undernourished is 1800 calories per day. The number of people affected by malnutrition exceeds 800 million. Where can these people be found? The answer would be in developing countries.

But unfortunately there is considerable worldwide food waste that could be avoided and could feed the people suffering from hunger.

About a third of the food produced in the world for human consumption annually (1.3 billion tons) is lost or wasted. This is why it is necessary to change our consumption behavior, but to change it to such an extent that we can also influence the patterns of supermarkets.

The aesthetic standards that supermarkets have are generated by us, the consumers. If we don't buy a carrot because it's bent or an apple because it's a little bruised, they end up in the trash.

The highest waste rates are among:

Food loss and waste are actually a major waste of other resources: water, land, energy, labor and capital, and they unnecessarily produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change.

Did you know that...

Food wasted in Europe could feed 200 million people. In the US, more than $30 billion worth of food is thrown away annually. The food currently lost or wasted in Latin America could feed 300 million people.

Inefficient processing and drying, poor storage and inadequate infrastructure are the driving factors for food waste in Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, post-harvest food losses are estimated at 4 billion US dollars per year – enough to feed at least 48 million people.

Causes of food waste

Food waste can occur in all the steps of the food supply chain, namely at the farm, at processing and manufacturing, at marketing, in restaurants and canteens, as well as in the households of the population. The reasons for the production of food waste vary widely and are specific to each field of activity.

Did you know that...

55% of food waste comes from households?

Factors contributing to food waste in households

• Not planning/improper planning of food shopping
• Promotional offers such as "buy one get one free" lead to the purchase of an amount of food that is often not justified
• Misunderstandings about the meaning of "expire on" and "best before", labels with information leading to increased amounts of wasted food
• Producing too much food in the household. This phenomenon is specific to Romanians during holidays or various events
• Refusal to buy fruit and vegetables that have small aesthetic imperfections
• Inadequate food storage
• Too large portions of food at the table

Individual task

Identify 2 habits that make you a food waster.

How can we reduce food waste?

Everyone has an important role to play in reducing food waste! Often with minimal effort, food waste can be reduced, saving money and helping to protect the environment. It's much easier than you think!
Here's how:

At home

• Plan your meals
• Use the extra food or the leftovers from the preparation of previous meals
• Read correctly the information about food perishability. 'expiration date...' informs us about the safety of the food and ' best before' and 'better if used by/before…' informs us about the quality and the freshness of the food
• Put less on the plate and refill if necessary
• Freeze ready-made meals
• Store food properly (check labels for storage instructions, make sure fridge is suitable between 1°C and 5°C)
• Find out what food you have in your pantry and fridge before you go shopping
• Rotate food storage at home - 'first in, first out!'

While shopping

• Make a shopping list
• Don't buy when you're hungry
• Buy only the amount you need (the right package size or bulk foods)
• You can choose fruits and vegetables that are imperfect in terms of external appearance (shape, size), often on sale
• You can purchase those products that are on sale and that are close to reaching the minimum durability date if you aim to consume them quickly

At school

At the restaurant/cafe

Family task

Identify at least one measure in order to reduce food waste to implement with family members for one month. At the end of each week, check if everyone has followed this rule.

Post an evidence of following this rule on the Blog.

Module 1

Module preparation

• Arrange the room so that the participants can work in teams of 2-5 members • Print and copy documents for each participant/use digital versions of those documents

Sequence 1. Know your environment

Context

Activity

Example of connection

Write "squirrel" on the right side of the paper and "tree" on the left, then draw a line between them. On the line, write "the squirrel uses the tree for shelter and food."

Worksheet

1. The landform

2. What are the local climate characteristics? (seasons, precipitation distribution, etc.)

3. What are the water resources of the area?

4. Identify 3 species of plants and animals that live in the local environment?

• Plants:

•Animals:

5. Soils in the local/area environment (appreciate their fertility, local particularities)

6. The anthropogenic component (constructions, human activities specific to the area)

7. What role do people play in this environment?

Check the understanding

Sequence 2. Use of natural resources

Context

Unsustainable consumption and production practices not only deplete natural resources through the use of material inputs, but also cause environmental impacts as a result of the extraction, processing, manufacturing, consumption and disposal of waste at every stage of a product or service's life.

These impacts of unsustainable consumption and production on the environment are causing the three planetary crises we are currently facing:

They are deeply interconnected and influence each other: pollution contributes to climate change, and biodiversity loss is exacerbated by both climate change and pollution.

The socio-economic impact caused by unsustainable consumption and production is felt unevenly around the world. The poorest people are those whose survival depends directly on natural resources and who have the least means of support to cope with the consequences.

When we shop we rarely think about the chain of activities, the operations that made the item what it is. A product is obtained from NATURAL RESOURCES that are limited and has undergone a series of complex processes before reaching the consumer.

To better understand the connection between the economy and the environment we must become aware of the life cycle of the products we buy. This cycle includes the resources and processes involved in manufacturing a product, delivering it to market, and disposing of the product after use.

ACTIVITY 1 Identifying the resources used in the production of different goods

This activity helps the participants better understand how and what resources, labor and capital are used to produce goods. With this knowledge, they will better appreciate the concept of consumer sovereignty, or the power they have as consumers to make a change or a difference.

Type of activity: individual/family analysis

1. Display different objects and explain that they are all obtained from natural resources (exhaustible, renewable, inexhaustible).

2. Invite the participants to complete the worksheet identifying the resources used to make the objects.

Worksheet

First item (food)

1. What renewable resources were used?

2. What exhaustible resources were used?

3. What will you do with the part of the product that you didn't use?

Second item (long-lasting product)

1. What renewable resources were used?

2. What exhaustible resources were used?

3. What to do when the item is sold out?

Third item (paper)

1. What renewable resources were used?

2. What exhaustible resources were used?

3. What to do when the item is used?

Feedback

Recommendation for the trainer

If they have failed to identify water as a resource used in all industrial processes, draw their attention to this. If they failed to identify electricity, explain that it is used in processing resources and it is obtained using different energy resources.

Group task

Roundtable activity

Identification at local or regional level of an unsustainably exploited resource that has produced or may produce in the near future a negative impact on the local community or on the individuals.

Worksheet for children/youngsters (online)

They will give 3/5 answers for each question according to age.

Things that are made and/or used from plants:

Things that are made and/or used from animals:

Things that are made and/or used from fossil fuels:

Things that are made and/or used from minerals:

Things that are made and/or used from water, air or sun:

ACTIVITY 2 Food waste

Context

This ecological footprint is calculated based on six different categories of resources:

In the last 50 years the gap has grown continuously: December 29 in 1970, November 4 in 1980, October 11 in 1990, September 23 in 2000 and August 7 in 2010.

The global food system is mainly responsible for this overconsumption. More than half of the planet's biocapacity (55%) is used to feed humanity.

Agriculture contributes to deforestation, climate change by emitting greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, using a significant part of the Earth's freshwater resource.

The food system is closely linked to consumption habits, especially those in rich countries. For example, if all people on Earth lived like the French, the day of "exceeding" renewable resources would have been recorded on May 5, 2022.

But unfortunately there is considerable worldwide food waste that could be avoided and could feed the people suffering from hunger.

About a third of the food produced in the world for human consumption annually (1.3 billion tons) is lost or wasted. This is why it is necessary to change our consumption behavior, but to change it to such an extent that we can also influence the patterns of supermarkets.

The aesthetic standards that supermarkets have are generated by us, the consumers. If we don't buy a carrot because it's bent or an apple because it's a little bruised, they end up in the trash.

The highest waste rates are among:

Food loss and waste are actually a major waste of other resources: water, land, energy, labor and capital, and they unnecessarily produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change.

Did you know that...

Food wasted in Europe could feed 200 million people. In the US, more than $30 billion worth of food is thrown away annually. The food currently lost or wasted in Latin America could feed 300 million people.

Inefficient processing and drying, poor storage and inadequate infrastructure are the driving factors for food waste in Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, post-harvest food losses are estimated at 4 billion US dollars per year – enough to feed at least 48 million people.

Causes of food waste

Did you know that...

55% of food waste comes from households?

Factors contributing to food waste in households

Individual task

Identify 2 habits that make you a food waster.

How can we reduce food waste?

• Arrange the room so that the participants can work in teams of 2-5 members
• Print and copy documents for each participant/use digital versions of those documents

Sequence 1.
Know your environment

Sequence 2.
Use of natural resources

ACTIVITY 1
Identifying the resources used in the production of different goods

ACTIVITY 2
Food waste

Everyone has an important role to play in reducing food waste! Often with minimal effort, food waste can be reduced, saving money and helping to protect the environment. It's much easier than you think!
Here's how: